Smoking bans have been implemented in a variety of settings, as well as being part of policy in many jurisdictions to protect the public and employees from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke (SHS). They also offer the potential to influence social norms and the smoking behaviour of those populations they affect. Since the first version of this review in 2010, more countries have introduced national smoking legislation banning indoor smoking.

Latest spotlights

Working Together for Better Health & Wellbeing: Understanding What Works

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) and partners (Department of Health (NI), Department of Health (RoI), Public Health Agency, Centre of Excellence for Public Health (QUB) and the Health Service Executive) are organising a one day conference to share learning and facilitate discussion on what works in public health in Ireland, North and South.

Parallel sessions will run throughout the day with twelve workshops covering a wide range of public health topics: Active Ageing, Children & Young People, Healthy Communities – Physical Activity, Wellbeing Services, Infectious Diseases, Participation & Public Involvement, Making Use of Research & Data, Healthy Eating, Mental Health, Healthy Workplaces, Alcohol, and Tobacco.

Registration and full conference programme to follow

A joint resource between the two Northern Ireland universities, ARK was established in 2000. ARK has a single goal: to make social science information on Northern Ireland available to the widest possible audience. Users include researchers, teachers, schoolchildren, policymakers, journalists, community/voluntary sector workers and anyone with an interest in Northern Ireland Society and Politics.

ARK seeks to build both a solid infrastructure and increased capacity as social policy issues have come under fresh scrutiny across all areas, a lobbying culture has emerged and with it the opportunity to stimulate public debate on these issues.

Eating 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a day may give us longer lives, say researchers

The study, by Imperial College London, showed that while eating the recommended five a day still helps reduce the risk of disease, the highest benefits are seen in people who consume 10 portions and calculated such eating habits could prevent 7.8 million premature deaths each year. A portion counts as 80g (3oz) of fruit or veg - the equivalent of a small banana, a pear or three heaped tablespoons of spinach or peas. The team also identified specific fruit and veg that reduced the risk of cancer and heart disease. Lower risks of cancer were linked to eating; green veg (eg spinach); yellow veg (eg peppers), and cruciferous vegetables (eg cauliflower). Lower risks of heart disease and strokes were linked to eating; apples; pears; citrus fruits; salads; green leafy vegetables (eg lettuce) and cruciferous veg.

The number of people living with depression is increasing, 18% between 2005 and 2015. In the lead-up to World Health Day on 7 April, which this year will focus on this increasingly important issue, WHO is releasing today a new global report on health estimates on depression. This report provides latest available estimates of the prevalence of depression and other common mental disorders at the global and regional level, together with data concerning the consequences of these disorders in terms of lost health. Reliable, up-to-date estimates of the proportion of a general population affected by different diseases or health conditions is a key ingredient of effective health policy, planning and evaluation.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) are inviting the health information community and representatives from national data collections across the health and social care sector to its first information seminar entitled "National Health Information - Better data, better decisions" on the 1st March 2017, in Dublin. National health and social care data collections play a crucial role in the Irish health system by providing a national overview of a particular health or social care service. In turn, they inform policy and decision-making for future health and social care needs. The seminar will be an opportunity for those working in national data collections in Ireland to meet, engage with, and learn from one another.

Energy efficiency tips from the Public Health Agency on Fuel Poverty Awareness Day

More than two in five households in Northern Ireland are in fuel poverty. A household is in fuel poverty if it needs to spend more than 10% of income on energy costs to adequately heat the home, and Northern Ireland has the highest percentage of fuel poverty households than any other region in the UK. Tracey Colgan, Senior Health and Wellbeing Improvement Officer at the PHA, said: “There are serious health risks to those living in fuel poverty, as not being able to heat your home properly means cold and damp can contribute to respiratory illnesses, hypothermia and issues affecting vulnerable people who already have underlying health conditions. Keeping a room warm to at least 18 degrees, taking regular warm drinks and food, and putting on extra layers such as a blanket, or hat even when indoors, can reduce the risk of hypothermia”.

New research from safefood reveals men and young adults the least able when it comes to food and cooking skills

The research has measured the state of the nation’s food and cooking skills and has found men and young adults had lower levels of confidence and used less food and cooking skills like planning, cooking in batches or using up leftovers. Among those surveyed for the research, keeping basic food cupboard ingredients and sharing cooking responsibilities were viewed as positive ways to encourage more home cooking, however time pressures and "fussy eaters" were identified as barriers to cooking. Amanda McCloat, Head of The Home Economics Department at St. Angela's College, Sligo and Research Contributor commented “What was really evident from the research is how people gained confidence from simply trying out a recipe and how we should be encouraging non-cooks to give it a go.”

The Department of Health in Northern Ireland today published the 2017 sub-regional report on health inequalities

This report provides an up-to-date picture of health inequalities within Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts and Local Government Districts (LGDs) in relation to area differences in morbidity, mortality, utilisation and access to health and social services.

Key Findings:

Health outcomes are generally worse in the most deprived areas within each Trust/LGD when compared with those seen in the Trust/LGD as a whole.

Male life expectancy increased across the period in all Trust areas and Local Government Districts (LGDs), with the exception of Antrim & Newtownabbey LGD, where it remained similar

Female life expectancy also increased across the period in all Trust areas and in approximately half of the LGDs, while remaining broadly constant in the remainder

Over the period analysed, a larger number of indicators for each HSC Trust, saw widening inequality gaps than those where gaps had narrowed. This was also true for the majority of LGDs with the exception of Fermanagh and Omagh, Mid Ulster and Mid and East Antrim

As seen regionally, deprivation related inequality was most evident in indicators relating to alcohol and drug use, suicide/self-harm and teenage births

The Health Well welcomes the Men's Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) as its latest partner website

The Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) works on an all-island basis to enhance the health and wellbeing of men and boys. It is a diverse network of individuals and organisations, men and women, which seeks to:

identify the key concerns relating to male health;

increase understanding of these issues;

support actions which can address any difficulties.

All MHFI research, policies and reports are now searchable on The Health Well. We look forward to collaborating more closely with the MHFI in future.

E-cigarettes are less toxic and safer to use compared to conventional cigarettes, according to research published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Scientists at UCL found that people who swapped smoking regular cigarettes for e-cigarettes or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for at least six months, had much lower levels of toxic and cancer causing substances in their body than people who continued to use conventional cigarettes. The research was funded by Cancer Research UK.